THSPA's Student Media contest is now live. THSPA members can go to THSPA.Submittable.com to create an account (or sign in) and begin to submit entries immediately. The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Central on Jan. 17, 2017. For the information packet, go to our Contests page.

Fall Workshop draws 450

Approximately 450 students and advisers attended THSPA's Fall Workshop on Sept. 14. WKRN-TV's Bob Mueller told about his career in television journalism and played some emotional clips. He even brought a hand-held film camera that he used to shoot stories in the mid-1970s.

For the fifth year, the workshop featured an on-site contest, including a photo Shoot-Off for the first time. Here were the winners:

We have posted the Awards Day winners on the Awards page. Congrats to all of the winners! The competition was very competitive, with 933 submissions entered to Submittable.com. Here were the top winners:

"As a 13-year-old student in eighth grade, Mary Beth was strongly affected by news of the war. She and her brothers and sisters, along with other students in Des Moines, decided to wear black armbands to school to mourn the dead on both sides of the Vietnam war. The armbands were also in support of a Christmas truce called by Senator Bobby Kennedy that year. The Des Moines school board tried to block the students from wearing the armbands, and most of the students who wore them were suspended.

"The case eventually went to the Supreme Court, which ruled in a landmark decision in 1969 that students in public schools do have First Amendment rights. Justice Abe Fortas wrote in the majority opinion that students and teachers do not 'shed their constitutional rights…at the schoolhouse gate.'"

Two Tennessee advisers among Reynolds High School Journalism Institute's 2015 fellows

Two advisers from Tennessee were among the 140 teachers trained by this year's Reynolds High School Institute.

Emmy McClain of St. George's Independent School (Collierville, Tenn.) and TJ VanDyke of Dyersburg High School attended the Institute in July. Emmy received her training at the University of Texas at Austin, and TV received his at Kent State University.

“The online training and discussion forum are now open to any teacher who would like to enhance their skills and access resources,” said Le Anne Wiseman, director of the ASNE Youth Journalism Initiative. “We’re excited that many more teachers will be able to benefit from the program developed by the Institute.”

Through the Reynolds High School Journalism Institute, teachers learned how to help students gain stronger reporting, writing, editing, multimedia, design and entrepreneurial skills needed to start or improve student news media organizations and understand the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and their rights and ethical responsibilities as student journalists.

“The lesson plans and discussion forum at ASNEChat.org will help any teacher learn how to teach journalism,” said Wiseman. “The ASNE Youth Journalism Initiative staff is also available to help and answer any questions.”

Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 2,340 secondary school teachers have completed the program. The program is administered by the American Society of News Editors Youth Journalism Initiative and was held at four locations in 2015:

Arizona State University, June 21-27

University of Texas at Austin, July 12-18

Kent State University, July 12-18

University of Missouri-Columbia, July 19-25

The Institute was funded through a generous grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which paid travel, housing and instructional expenses for the teachers, as well as optional continuing education credit. Teachers also received journalism textbooks and paid membership to the Journalism Education Association and their state or regional scholastic press association.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, it has committed more than $150 million to journalism initiatives nationally.

ASNE’s Youth Journalism Initiative, launched in 2000, is committed to helping students learn why news matters and acquire the skills needed to succeed as 21st-century citizens. The Initiative invests in the future of journalism and democracy by providing resources and training in youth journalism; news, information and media literacy; and the First Amendment and civic education.

The American Society of News Editors focuses on leadership development and journalism-related issues. Founded in 1922 as a nonprofit professional organization, ASNE promotes fair, principled journalism; defends and protects First Amendment rights; and fights for freedom of information and open government. Leadership, innovation, diversity and inclusion in coverage and the journalism workforce, youth journalism, news literacy and the sharing of ideas are also key ASNE initiatives.

AWARDS DAY 2015

THSPA Awards Day was on the Lipscomb University campus Monday, March 2.

Congratulations to Sara Hayes, Father Ryan High School, Administrator of the Year!

Congratulations to David Flanary, John Sevier Middle School, Bonnie Hufford Media Adviser of the Year!

Heather Nagel, yearbook adviser at Christ Presbyterian Academy, has been named state director for the Journalism Education Association. She succeeds Denise Croker of the Harpeth Hall School. Congratulations, Heather, and thanks to Denise for your years of excellent service!

More about THSPA...

To learn more about THSPA, visit our information page. To learn how to become a member of THSPA, visit our Membership Page.